1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to distribution of audio content through a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A first co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/418,960 to Barnett et al. filed on May 5, 2006 (hereinafter “Barnett-1”) for an Internet Audio Scanner and Method, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, was submitted by the inventors hereof. Barnett-1 discloses an apparatus and method for processing signals produced by signal sources, including a first signal source that is a first server of streaming audio signals, which includes intermittent audio content, and which is located at an address on a network. The apparatus includes a network interface and a processor that selects the first signal source by outputting the address of the first server to the network interface, thereby establishing a network connection. The apparatus also includes a threshold detector coupled to receive streaming audio signals through the network interface, and that has a detector output with an active state that indicates that the intermittent audio content presently meets a threshold value. The processor further couples the streaming audio content to an output circuit if the detector output is active. Where there are plural intermittent signal sources, the apparatus of Barnett-1 can sequentially monitor the plural sources and process the audio content based upon the threshold detector output.
A second co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/600,476 to Sullivan et al. filed on Nov. 16, 2006 (hereinafter “Sullivan-1”) for a Network Audio Directory Server and Method, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, was submitted by the inventors hereof. Sullivan-1 discloses a system and method of communicating audio through a network. Sullivan-1 addresses certain structure and techniques employed in the network environment. The method includes detecting audio content from an audio source by a first network terminal, sending a directory packet including a network address of the detected audio content to a second network terminal, and requesting the audio content through the network by the second audio terminal. The further step of storing the detected audio content in a buffer for audio packets identified by packet identities is added in some embodiments. The sending of a directory packet step may include sending a packet identity, and the requesting step may include specifying an audio packet according to the packet identity. A further step of sending a source packet including the network address of the detected audio content to a network directory server by the first network terminal may be added. Thusly, the directory server manages the requests and communication of audio content between feed source terminals and receiver terminals.
A third co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/809,964 to Sullivan et al. filed on Jun. 4, 2007 (hereinafter “Sullivan-2”) for a Network Audio Terminal and Method, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, was submitted by the inventors hereof. Sullivan-2 discloses network audio feed source terminals, receive terminals and methods. Sullivan-2 teaches a receive terminal that includes a network interface that receives network packets and a network packet scanner coupled to the network interface that sequentially scans received network packets in accordance with scan criteria. A content selector is coupled to the network packet scanner, and selects network packets containing units of audio content from the scanned network packets based on selection criteria. An audio content processor is coupled to the content selector, and processes the audio content in the selected network packets. The network packets may include directory packets containing audio content addresses, in which case, the content selector further selects directory packets based on selection criteria. An audio packet requester is coupled to the content selector and the network interface, and operates to request audio packets through the network identified by the audio content addresses that correspond to the selected directory packets. Sullivan-2 also teaches a network audio feed source terminal, which is used for coupling units of audio content from an audio source to a network. The feed terminal includes a source interface that receives audio content from the audio source and a content monitor that identifies audio content in accordance with monitoring criteria. The feed terminal also includes a means for capturing a selected portion of the identified audio content as units of audio content in accordance with capture criteria, and, a network interface that couples the units of audio content into the network.
A fourth co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/980,113 to Sullivan et al. filed on Oct. 30, 2007 (hereinafter “Sullivan-3”) for System and Method for Delivering Audio and Data from Plural Sources at an Event to Plural Users Through a Network, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, was submitted by the inventors hereof. Sullivan-3 addresses an environment where plural audio sources operate within an event forum, which is distributed to plural individuals interested in activities at the event. Sullivan-3 teaches a system and method of communicating event audio content to plural users through a network using an event feed source, an event network server, and plural receive terminals. The method includes coupling event content indicative of activity related to an event, including audio signals received by plural audio interfaces from plural audio sources and event data that is produced by at least a first data source, to the event feed source, and, sequentially communicating the event content from the event feed source through the network to the event network server. Further, requesting access to event content that has been recently received by the event network server by at least a first receive terminal, and, transferring recently received event content from the event network server to the at least a first receive terminal. Then, subsequently requesting additional event content, based upon previously received event content, by the at least a first receive terminal from the event network server, and, transferring the additional event content from the event network server to the at least a first receive terminal.
The teachings of Barnett-1, Sullivan-1, Sullivan-2, and Sullivan-3 encompass certain illustrative embodiments useful in a range of systems and methods for network audio content acquisition, delivery and reproduction. Generally, these teachings amount to building blocks that can be arranged to yield a wide variety of network audio delivery systems. However, the implementation of a network wide system for audio content distribution to a wide variety of end users presents numerous architectural and protocol challenges, particularly with respect to system access security, reliability and integrity, system growth, and traffic management. Thus, it can be appreciated that there is a need in the art for a system and method for implementing and managing a system of plural network coupled audio sources for audio content and plural end user client terminals seeking access to such audio content.